CABLE TO THE WHITE HOUSE FROM ROME

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-165-5-18-4
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: December 20, 2012
• Sequence Number: 18
• Publication Date: October 30, 1971
• Content Type: CABLE

No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/12/20: LOC-HAK-165-5-18-4
State Dept. review
completed
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CONFIDENT! L
ON-FILE NSC RELEASE
INSTRUCTIONS APPLY
1971 Cu :53 14 24
25X1
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coNFI'DENTIAL ?123?Z OCT 71
Frol ADIBASsADOR MARTIN, ROME 1502
To THE WHITE HOUSE, FOR THE PRESIDENT
1. JOHN VoLPE HAS Jusr CONcLWED A THREE DAY VISIT To RaIE? FROM
EVERY POINT OF? VIEW, IT HAS BEEN A RESOUNDING SUCCESS. AS YOU
KNOW, THE FINAL DECISION ON THE ITALIAN VOTE ON THE IMPORTANT
QuEsTIoN RESOLUTION WAS A VERY CLOSE AFFAIR. ['IMO AND THE
FOREIGN MINISTRY CLEARLY WERE AsSuNIING A NEGATIVE VOTE TO BE
QUIETLY DETERMINED BY THE FOREIGN MINIsrRY ALONE, AND IT WAS
GENERALLY AsSirIED BY THE LOCAL DIRLONIATIc CORPS THAT A
NEGATIVE VOTE WAS ASSURED. THE PRESSURE CPPIPAIGN WE
MoiNTED THROUGH ALL CONCEIVABLE CHANNELS HAD FORCED CABINET
CONSIDERATION. sARAGAT WENT CONSIDERABLY BEYOND THE
CONSTITUTIONAL LIMITATIONS OF HIS OFFICE IN TRYING TO GET
THE DECISION YOU WANTED. FANFANI AND DC SECRETARY FoRLANI
WERE ALSO NEL PFuL.
2. yoUR TELEPHONE CALL ASSURED A DECISION AT LEAST FOR
ABSTENTION RATHER THAN A NEGATIVE VOTE. I WAS STILL HOPING
UNTIL THE LAST MINuTE THAT IT WOULD HAVE TIPPED THE SCALES
FOR AN AFFIRMATIVE VOTE. IT ALmosT DID, BUT coLaIBO WOULD
NOT RISK HIS TENURE As PRD1E MINISTER.
MORO, OF cOuRsE, Is STILL SINGLEMINDEDLY NEEP 141" vyr rtm
LEFTIsT SUPPORT FOR THE ?RESIDENCY.
MORI/CDF per C05146854
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No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/12/20: LOC-HAK-165-5-18-4
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/12/20: LOC-ILIAK-165-5-18-4
3. THIS WAS THE CONTEXT OF'JOHN VOLPE'S ARRIVAL. CalING SO
SOON AFTER THE ITALIAN FAILURE TO R ESPOND FULLY TO YOUR
PERSONAL APPEAL, A VISIT FR Cri ANY MEMBER OF YOUR CABINET
COULD HAVE BEEN, DISASTROUS. IF WE PRETENDED NOTHING HAD
HAPPENED TO OFFEND US, MY GREATEST ASSET WHICH IS YOUR VERY
GREAT PERSONAL INFLUENCE HERE WOULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERABLY
DIMINISHED. IF ANGER AT AND CRITICISM OF THEIR FAILURE
TO SUPPORT US HAD BEEN TOO PUBLICLY EVIDENT, IT WOULD HAVE
PROVIDED A FIELD DAY FOR THE SOCIALIST AND COMMUNIST PROPAG?
ANDA APPARATUS TO RING ALL THE CHANGES ON THE THEME OF
INTERFER EN CE ? "
4. JOHN VOLPE THREADED HIS WAY T HR OUCH THESE.THREE DAYS WITH A
MASTERFUL- PER IN PR IV ATE CONVERSATIONS W ITH PRESIDENT
SARAGAT, 'PRIME MINISTER COLOMBO, FANFANI, MORO, RIPIOR,
ANDREAOTTI, FORLANI, AND' THE LEADING MEMBERS OF ITALIAN
BUSINESS catimuirrY, HE LEFT NO DOUBT ABOUT THE DEPTH OF
THE FEELING ARISING FROM LACK OF FULL ITALIAN SUPPORT. YET;
HE DID IT IN A WAY WHICH BURNED NO BRIDGES BUT INSTEAD,
LAID A BETTER FOUNDATION -FOR THE INTENSIVE EFFORTS WHICH WE
MUST MAHE TO GET THE CHR IST IAN DEMOCRATS TOGETHER AFTER
THE POISON OF THE PRESIDENT IAL ELECT ION IS BEHIND US IN JANUARY.
5. HE WILL, OF COURSE, BE REPORTING MORE FULLY TO YOU ON HIS
RETURN, INC'LLDING HIS CONVERSATIONS WITH SENIOR VATICAN
OFFICIALS WHICH I THINK YOU WILL FIND MOST INTERESTING.
6.,_ODAY I BEGIN MY THIRD # k 7 1111
MADE PROGRESS IN CARRYING OUT YO
HIS COL.INTRY FROM DR I FT G FARTHER
A
S
0
HE
LEFT
t
0
AND TRY
RIST AND ST
T-C771-tTUrnrirctl? SAY T HAT, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF YOUR OWN
ENORMOUSLY POPULAR VISITS, THIS VISIT OF JOHN VOLPE HAS
HELPED MORE THAN ANY OTHER. WHEN WE APPROACH THE "MOMENT
OF TRUTH" AFTER THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, AND REALLY
MOVE IN HARD ON THE CHRISTIAN DEMOCRAT PARTY, I HOPE
YOU WILL LET ME HAVE HIM VISIT ROME OFTEN. RESPECTFULLY,
GRAHAM MARTIN
610
4 772
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I
? #1:16?011
CONFIDENTIAL
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/12/20: LOC-HAK-165-5-18-4